Zodiac Bounce
by Badgerkatch
Summary: A few generations before the original story of Furuba a young girl possessed by one of the zodiac and armed with a strong will goes and challenges the law which is her family.
1. Ch1:Wanting Out

Zodiac Bounce

By: Badger Nin

Ok, like millions of other girls and some boys out there, when Furuba or Fruits Basket came out we all went ecstatic and had crushes and emotional times and thought that the reason we existed was to read and watch it. Ok I won't go THAT far but you get the picture. You all know about the Sohma family and its unique little curse, you know about prince Yuki Sohma and the others…but just how long has this particular family had this curse? How many generations went by before the curse was finally broken? I'm here to answer that, with my second fan fiction Zodiac Bounce; bouncing back a few generations to show you the heart of a young Sohma and the things she had to face in the family then.

Please laugh, feel sad and share my story with me.

Enjoy.

Ch.1: Wanting Out

"Ame….Ame Chan?" a teenage boy of around fifteen skipped upon the rocks in the front garden of the main house, his long black hair was coming undone from its pony tail and his bright green eyes searched the brush. He was looking for her again. Ame huddled in the upper branches of a cherry tree, wiping the naughty tears away from her pale cheeks that dare show themselves…she was too strong to cry.

She looked up from her arms when she didn't hear the boy's footsteps or his calling anymore and she sighed softly and began climbing down from the tree; shielding her blue grey eyes from the harsh summer sun.

"Oh, that Hitomi…always following me around…I hate it" she mumbled and then brushing off her jeans, yup, the ones with way too many holes in them and getting the leaves out of her short brown hair she made sure no one was around and tiptoed across the rocks that made a secret path across the stream that winded around the house…How she hated this time of year…the time when the Zodiac banquet took place and what's worse… they wanted _Her _to dance….**Heeeeell** no.

She sighed and managed to slip inside the storage shed without anyone seeing her… "Eh" she sighed and flopped down upon a big bag of rice which served her as a bed to sulk upon when she was forced to come to this loathsome place. A place no one in on the 'outside' knew about, a family who had long had a curse that they did not know about…the Zodiac curse that transformed twelve unlucky people into animals when hugged or very ill…and then came the sad fact…Ame Sohma was one of them.

Her mother didn't care where she went but just as long as her unlucky self was inside this wretched place she was content; for as Ame knew, she was barely a daughter to that woman, just a bother. Ame sighed and looked up at the sun dripping down through the cracks in the wooden ceiling, "damn" she grouched as she looked at the door she had barred shut for there were people running too and fro outside…probably trying to find her.

" hmnf" they can look as haaard as they like they are NOT going to make me wear that _stupid_ costume and dance that _stupid_ dance…and especially not in front of HIM!"

She crossed her arms, getting into another of her moods.

" In front of whom may I ask little Ame-Chan?" a silky voice whispered into her ear followed by a hand on her shoulder, in both cases making her jump at least two feet before skittering up and turning around, both her hands up in a defensive position.

" what the-" she stopped speaking and dropped her arms for sitting on a box a couple inches from where she had been laying was Kusanagi Sohma, the horse.

Ame flushed red with shame and shoved her hands in her pockets, if she had as much thrown a punch at him he would be sitting on her right now. "H-how did you-?" She cursed her voice for its betrayal. Kusanagi stood up still in his black work suit and stretched then looking down at the little sixteen year old in front of him he spoke "get in you mean?" he smiled, he always smiled…everything but his dark brown eyes…they did not smile. He pointed way in the back where behind a few boxes a back door showed. "Oh…I didn't know that was there" she mumbled. "Yes" he chuckled "so this is your famous hideout hmm? Nice place but you need to get some more furniture." He looked back at her over the rims of his glasses. "But enough with the jokes…." He held out his hand "there is a dance to perform…"

She took his hand, quite hesitantly of course and scuffed her shoes into the dirt ground as much as possible as she walked behind him, his hand slowly tightening its grip on her own… "Good" she thought and smirked at the back of his red haired head "I'm getting on his nerves." Kusanagi stopped after dragging her around the place and then ordered her to remain there only getting a grouchy face in return from her. He took off his shoes and sat quietly at the door in front of him until a faint voice beckoned him inside and he vanished through the slider. Even though she was one who would just run off at anytime she pleased a familiar aura from the other side of that door sent unpleasant shivers down her spine and forced her body to sit and wait until Kusanagi returned for she would rather see him than who she knew was lurking behind that thin paper door.

The head of the Sohma house…Mizuki Sohma.

Ame had started to doze off even with the sensation of 'evil lurks nearby' crawling all over her skin. "That's quite a feat Ame…you should be proud to be able to simply NAP in front of Mizuki-kun." Kusanagi's voice rang in her ears and she snapped instantly awake to his laughing and the mysterious golden eyes of Mizuki Sohma.

She blanched at the pale man sitting some feet behind Kusanagi, Handsome, yes…scary…defiantly yes.

" Ame Sohma" his voice shook " you make me stress myself over such matters as the Zodiac banquet…one of the most… no,_ the_ most important thing in the Sohma family" he stopped and encompassed her fear in his dark golden eyes and then he seemed to think for a moment, then he did something even creepier…he smiled.

The next thing Ame knew she woke up and a shot of pain rushed to her head and she opened her mouth "Oww!" she howled and put her hands up immediately and found half her face wrapped in gauze and blood on her shirt "Oook" she shook her head and only caused more pain so she laid her head back on the bed she had found herself in.

"Did I dream that up or what? Yeah but what about" she was halted mid thought as the door to the room opened and a handsome man (they all seem to be handsome men ) in a long white lab coat with cherry blossoms embroidered on it swept in to the room and looked at her. Ok, NOW she was spooked…Mizuki-kun must have done something to her for this…what time was it…what day? She looked up at the Sohma doctor and smiled her cheeks turning pink, but it wasn't that bad. Amou Sohma sat in the little black seat next to her bed…you know, the kind that only doctors can sit in that goes where ever you want it too? Yeah…Amou looked at her, his purple eyes smiling through his worried face; he ran one hand through his long, pre maturely white hair, his nervous habit.

She smiled and then turned her head to the side " so" she murmured, finding it kind of hard to talk legibly with a piece of cotton in her mouth…she spit it out.

"Who danced?"

Amou looked sad and made as if some of the bandages on her face needed cleaning…

"Sala did it…its ok though…" she said she would…he didn't force her to" she smiled through her bandages… "Oh…sweet Sala…that's good" Amou gingerly replaced the many bandages she had had upon her face with a simple clean bandage…super size, she sighed and he noticed it "uh…I'm sorry I didn't get to you in time…I didn't know what he was going to do" She turned one eye on him, the strange slit eyes that were almost as strange as Mizuki Sohma's own. "What do you mean Amou-kun? You couldn't have done anything if Mizuki did something to me, plus…" she turned her head again "at least I didn't obey him or anything."

He looked at her for a minute and then sighed deeply and got up "you would have lost that eye of yours if Kusanagi hadn't brought you as soon as he did. THAT got her attention and the eye that could see correctly nearly blazed with loathing "why would HE do anything for me?" Amou Sohma sighed and again sat down and ran a hand through his hair nervously "he's not such a bad person you know Ame…just misunderstood"

She snorted, yes she absolutely adored Amou and she talked to him every chance she could and also hated to hurt his feelings… but she just couldn't stand him when he stook up for that man.

She stayed silent through a huge amount of self control and he looked at her again "I'm sorry" she looked up at him again "what do you mean? Sorry?" she frowned and looked down at her hands "don't be stupid, you probably got yelled at just because I didn't want to dance." Amou smiled and then grabbing some colorful balls that he kept on a shelf nearby the jar of cotton and a little away from the hand lotion and the bottle of evil stingy stuff of which's name she couldn't begin to pronounce and then propping her up on two more pillows began to toss them in the air and juggle them all around in the air.

She laughed. When she had been little Amou had made her smile with this trick, it worked every time when she was sad or angry. That's what she loved about him…and now he had grown up from a school boy with a bag of tricks to a doctor with a bag of tricks and another of pricks. He amazed her with some of his old tricks and then made her take some medicine which immediately set her to sleep… "good" he thought, wiping his hands on a towel and going to make some miso soup for when she awoke, he had always taken it hard when she had gotten hurt, she was a wonderful if very testy girl and he loved her very much…but he knew he couldn't do anything but heal her injuries and hope she mended her ways in front of the head of the house…for, this was not her first visit like this.

She woke up and blinked a bit taking in her surroundings…a poser covered wall, a messy desk…home? She was again starting to think that it had all been another bad dream when she turned her head and simultaneously had a headache the size of Okinawa and saw a bowl of soup sitting on her bedside dresser with a note set on top of the plastic covering to keep it warm.

"Damn" she sighed and then getting up and changing her shirt she took the note and left the soup where it was.

She read the note in silence while she lounged in a bean bag near the living room window…her personal place. "Dear Hot head," it started…her lips curved into a smile "I hope you had a good sleep, I brought you home when you slept longer than I expected you to, I hope you don't mind. I stitched you up as best I could this time but need I ask again that you at least try not to piss Mizuki off please…For your health and my own?

Come and see me when your up and we can go together to see him and figure out this whole mess. Your mother called me and said she won't be able to come and see you today, she's very busy…I will pick you up from school ok?

Oh and by the way…Eat your soup!"

Amou

By the end of the letter she had been angry, sad and laughing her head off all at once.

She walked back in to her room and set the slip of paper back on her dresser and then as she was about to walk away she took a double take and snatched the soup, tore of the plastic, finding herself suddenly quite ravenous and downing the entire bowl in a matter of minutes. She paid Amou back this way, usually she didn't eat soup but for him she would…then remembering his circus tricks she laughed " that silly monkey"…yes Amou Sohma, another possessed by a vengeful spirit…the monkey san.

She would normally do a lot of things she didn't like to do if he performed tricks and smiled at her, but there was one thing she could never give to him…her resignation.

She looked up and then combing her fingers through her short hair something blazed in her blue grey eyes…heart, the heart that she had vowed no one would break.

Not even Mizuki Sohma.

She took the day off from scrounging around and hiding like a rat…well she wouldn't use 'rat' like that she thought as she remembered who it was who danced in her place at the Zodiac Banquet, Sala Sohma, rat Chan.

She pulled on a white tee and some overalls and did all the necessaries before going outside and shutting the door behind her. She locked her door and started down to the river where she could cross and go to town without being hassled as to where she was going, wouldn't want someone to accidentally bump into you or something! She rolled her eyes "as if" she sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets and began skipping over the stones.

"AME CHAAAAAN!" she froze and nearly fell into the creek as she spotted the grinning face of Hitomi Sohma up in a tree, no HER tree " damn" she spit as she regained her careful balance after some doing " what are you DOING here Hitomi?" she snarled, having absolutely no patience for he over obsessive and aggressive boy.

He just grinned wider " aw don't be like that!" he grinned and hung upside down from a branch " you know it's the weekend and I don't have any homework…so of course I would come and see how you've fared! I always have to worry about my little Ame"

That did it "she stomped over and kicked the tree until the leaves up top shook "Get down here right now, I'm gonna squish your kitty face into the ground!" she howled up at his surprised face and then was suddenly taken aback when he flushed and began wiping at his eyes, dropping down to the ground and then huddling by the tree's roots as if he would cry. She blinked " um…I…err" she sighed, he always got her this way, even if he was around her age he was still an obnoxious and still sensitive boy…who was just obsessed with her. She sighed "fine, fine," she sighed looking at someone near her age crying was just a little too harsh, even if it WAS him.

He immediately looked up with his bright green eyes sparkling "yes!" he grinned and hugged her tightly, she grimaced "no touchy please" He laughed and leaned against the tree "so, have you seen my brother lately?" he asked, pointing to the large bandage still on her right cheek, she winced, "yeah, unfortunately."

He looked up at the sky while she looked secretly at his face, his big brother was Mizuki and he shared a disturbing resemblance that made it creepy to be around him…but even if they were blood brothers they couldn't have been farther apart…Mizuki was born years before his little brother was, but when Hitomi was born and found to be possessed by the tiger, he was simply, forgotten…another pawn for him to play with.

She narrowed her eyes and took his silence as him giving her thinking time…they were all seemingly pawns to that man…she loved her family but she hated it…everything about it was just wrong, wrong, wrong…but no one could apparently see what she could…the bars of the cage that held them in to this place.

She knew she wanted out, she didn't want to live here anymore, wanted her own life, not one predestined to her. She looked at the sky and sighed clenching her fists, and if she did she wouldn't go alone…she promised herself…to break the zodiac curse.


	2. Ch2: Dragon Along

Ch.2: Dragon along

Mizuki Sohma sat upon a cushion in his room overlooking the garden where Ame and Hitomi had left to. He grimaced. That brother of his was too nosy for his own good, sneaking about and fawning over Ame Sohma….he couldn't stand it.

He stood up and stalked around his spacious room….Ame would be his, his, HIS!

She was always with everyone else, making them happy; Amou, Hitomi…and yes even Kusanagi had smiled once in his presence at the mere mention of the girl's name.

He looked up through his messy black hair and glared, his golden eyes growing cold.

The hidden part of the Sohma family was that simple little rule, to preserve their precious and haunted bloodline they would eventually have to marry someone in or close to the family…both of his own parents had been cousins.

And through his cursed family line, the head of the house, which by being born made him, unfortunately, not even the family's doctor Amou could cure him of his malady.

He clenched his thin fists together and then without warning lashed out and snatched a small cherry blossom that had floated through his open window.

Without looking at it he began to speak "and like this small blossom…you will be crushed under my law" at his words he crushed the tiny blossom and strode out of the room.

Ame had long since said goodbye to Hitomi, and even if she hated to admit it she really hadn't wanted him to go…she was having a hard time as it was and being alone just wasn't her thing, she sighed "and what's worse is I'm going to get a lecture from HER probably when I get off school." She slogged home, unlocked her door, removed her shoes and flopped down upon the couch, mom wouldn't be coming home till late and she had school in the morning… "What absolute hell" she grouched as she fished the remote for the TV from the bottom of the couch and turned it on, hell there was nothing better to do. Plus, no one would come to see her right now anyway; sometimes she would get visitors when she wasn't in trouble (which was very rarely) and she would be happy, unless it was Mizuki of whom she had the unpleasant surprise of finding at least twice in the same month at her doorstep…she didn't like it so she just kept the door bared 24/7…just in case.

With the exception of two people, well…three including her mother but she didn't count…first, there was Amou; I mean really…who _wouldn't _let him in?

She smiled at her own thoughts. And then there was Sala Sohma…the one who had performed the dance in her stead, she was always kind and saving peoples tails like that, even if she was the one who would be punished for it, she was stronger than her…and still only in grade school! She chuckled at his "and Kusanagi cant stand her…I love it"

Ame sighed "wish I could be like that" she shrugged and then sooner or later slunk to her room after getting too tired to watch Scooby-Doo, " maybe I will.." she murmured and shut the door.

Her alarm buzzed louder and louder into her head, breaking apart her dreams and causing the bundle of arms, legs and bed sheets that was her to groan and squint at the satanic little red numbers that blared on the screen… "6:00"...she huffed and tried untangling herself from the mess of covers "what a beastly hour to wake up..."

She slogged out of bed and scratched her head, grouched and picked a ironed skirt and top from the top of her dresser and pulled them on…then eyeing the skirt distastefully turned to rummage in a drawer until she came up with some short shorts and pulled them on underneath the skirt…she just couldn't STAND wearing these frippery things.

She gathered her books and her messenger bag and opened the door to an absolute mess….she blinked for a minute and stepped out of the hallway and looked at the living room…empty bottles of sake littered the floor around the TV, chips were scattered around the room and it stank of cigarette smoke. She snarled and then slamming her stuff down on the floor turned on her heel and howled at the top of her lungs up the stairs "FATHER! _You drunken moron get down here!" _Her face was flushed red and even though she should have just ignored it, eaten her breakfast and left the house as fast as she could she just couldn't any more…she HATED this family…and none was worse than her branch. A muzzy head poked from the bathroom door following a long groan, she sneered "so you spend the night on the bathroom floor again eh? Well that fits you ol' man! I can't stand you!" she roared and then picking up her stuff again she turned and nearly kicked down the door running out.

She got to school earlier than usual which was highly unusual for her, she sighed and went up to the rooftop…it was peaceful here, she liked it, and it seemed that even just for a few moments all her worries would be spirited away by the wind. She combed her hair through with her fingers while she waited; she really hadn't taken the time to do anything like that in her haste… "Even eat" she mumbled as her stomach growled at her.

Then as soon as she had even mentioned or thought it a package of melon bread hit her on the head. "W-what the?" she picked it up slowly and then hearing a chuckle behind her whirled around and found a rather strange sight in front of her Kakyo, a feisty freshman clad in his school uniform and messing with his brown hair holding up a young girl named Gigi….she sighed and ripped open the package, munching on it to keep herself from smiling " Kakyo and Gigi Sohma…after the banquet everybody was just showing up out of nowhere like this…well" she gulped a piece down and at Gigi's cute expectant look burst out laughing.

Kakyo smirked and let Gigi down off of his shoulder, he was a football star so Gigi's weight meant nothing to him…she smiled at both of them " oh look I'm honored by the jock and the lollypop troop, how cute" she smiled at the little blonde six year old near her waist and then looked back at Kakyo.

"So what's up?" The two looked at each other and shrugged, though Kakyo spoke first "we saw you run out of your house this morning and thought something else had gone wrong…ye know" he coughed "after the whole thing with Mizuki"

She sighed and leaned against the bars on the roof "doesn't every body…" she smiled "thanks"

The ten minute bell rang, but she barely moved…Gigi had gone home to her father and Kakyo stood with her still, overlooking the area "so" he sighed "I know that this is probably hard for you and all…your different and that makes you special kinda thing?...I don't think your any different than I am ok?" she arched an eyebrow and sighed "yeah? This coming from a pig!" she squealed as he flushed red and ran around trying to catch her. The two minute bell rang and they jogged to class saying bye to Kakyo before heading off to math…ewww… "but" she thought as she opened the door and took her seat, much to the surprise of the students and teacher" she was glad that I have some people who try to understand me…even if it's the boar and the rabbit" she chuckled quietly to herself as the bell rang and the class took out their materials.

She looked out the window and saw the clouds parting to let the warm sunshine out…

"Good" she murmured as she looked over her math "things will turn out all right."

The bell rang for lunch and she gathered her papers and things from her desk and walked out, "hmm, I think ill sit at the cherry tree today, I think its having its late bloom" she smiled and then weaved through the crowd to get to where she wanted, she didn't have any friends to follow her, but little did she know that someone was watching her.

She arrived at the spot and was overjoyed to discover that it was raining pink blossoms, perfect for lunch. She looked around to make sure no one was around and sat down and kicked off her skirt, smoothing down her shorts and digging a bagged lunch out of her pack and just opening her mouth to take a bite when a dark figure dropped down from the tree and landed right in front of her causing her to loose her sandwich into the air. She howled and struck out at the stranger in front of her who seemingly startled as well raised one hand and caught her thrown fist. She opened her eyes and then looked up at the persons face and slowly began to recognize him "um…"she muttered "Ginta Mitsuru isn't it?" The boy smiled at her and released her hand quickly " yeah, sorry I didn't mean to scare you that badly…I just noticed you coming out here and decided to say hi…your in my math class you know"

Ame looked at him, Ginta wasn't a bad looking guy; with his dark curly hair and blue eyes, he actually looked a lot like Hitomi with a hair cut and contacts…which as she realized gave her goose bumps, he was tall and his grades were the highest in the school…she had never really noticed him before, and he had never spoken to her either. Strange and highly unusual, she blinked up at him and then began messing with her hair.

"Um…so what's up? Did you need the math homework or something?" she smiled al the while feeling rather stupid "good excuse Ame" she hissed at herself.

He looked as if he was about to choke on something and she looked slightly alarmed "are…you alright dude?" His face turned red at her words and then he smiled and waved one hand " no, no I'm quite fine, thank you Ame-Chan, I just remembered I need to go somewhere, um…talk to you later!"

Ame raised one eyebrow and watched him go off "what a weirdo" she shrugged and finished off what was left of her lunch and tossed the sandy sandwich.

Ame walked to her last period of the day, she was so happy that her school now worked in block schedules as she opened the slider and sat in art class just as the last bell rung. "Ha!" she yelled silently to her snob of a teacher "see that? No punishment today! Woohoo!" The teacher turned around and almost looked as if she had heard what she had thought up "Today class…." She scanned the room and found her in her seat and sighed "we will be starting…" she looked over at Ame again of whom returned the look twice over " we will be doing charcoal drawings of objects!" she crowed, Ame hissed " bitch! She knows I hate that…" After drawing a misshaped vase just to spite the witch she excused herself early and walked out the school gate to find a tan Subaru waiting for her…she blinked " Amou…kun? What…?" she opened the door and he smiled up at her "hey there, I came to pick you up!" he looked down at his watch "though you're a bit ear-" he stopped mid sentence as she remembered that he had come to pick her up today so she swooped into the car and gave him a cute smile to shut him up "we get out early today" she gave him a mischievous look "drive?"

Amou looked at her, his violet eyes surprised and then after seeing her smile softened up "oh alright, you got off early! This is cause for some ice cream!" he winked at her "whadda ya say?" She threw her stuff in the back and let out a squeal of delight, ice cream was her all time favorite desert and Amou knew that oh too well! "all right!" she crowed and babbled about how much school had sucked that day and how glad she was to see him all the while; the boy named Ginta watched from his window seat in his history classroom as she was driven off with that man, his cheeks burned…he had never seen her so happy before, she was a whole new girl when she wasn't here…it wasn't fair.

Amou paid up front while she was by a sunny window licking at her cone of mint ice cream in happiness, this was the best! She flushed and stifled bubbles of giggles into her ice cream "almost like a date" she murmured as she licked the mint. Amou sat down with a cup of strawberry and vanilla and smiled at her as she ate it happily and looked up with ice cream all over her face, "heh, you are sure a messy one!" he tossed a napkin at her and laughed as the caught it in her mouth "huu memy!" she huffed at him through the napkin, he arched a brow and narrowed his eyes "what was that? I didn't hear you correctly!" he let out a bout of laughing and then stopped to stuff some ice cream in his mouth while she spit out the napkin flushing furiously " you meanie!" she cried.

Amou smiled at her "I was just kidding, so" he smiled again not able to resist this one as he pointed to her cone "I think you should finish that" she blinked and then looked at her cone which was now oozing over the sides with green ice cream drips "_Eeek!_" she shrieked as she attempted to lick up all the drips and in the process consumed the entire thing all the while Amou thought it was the cutest thing ever.

As soon as she was done it was time to go home which she obviously was reluctant to do; vividly remembering early that morning, she sighed and looked at Amou as he drove, and then looked back. " It didn't matter…as much as he was a good friend and even the fact that she liked him in more ways than one didn't change that he could never help her or of all things….replace her father.

Ame groaned as the car stopped marking the end of her fun. Well…off to hell.

She thanked Amou profusely and then getting her stuff out of the back and fishing around for her house key she opened the front door and as she usually did made a b-line straight for her room and as she turned the corner she nearly ran into someone standing in front of the door…she looked at shoes and then slowly raised her eyes and recognized her fathers stern if still woozy features…at least he was sober for now, that didn't keep her from being repulsed "Yes?" she growled at him…her eyes narrowing.

His name was Daisuke Sohma, as his daughter put it…Die Sohma…she was so cheerful, but he didn't blame her that she hated him, he sighed as he looked down at her and shoved one hand in his pocket and with the other rubbed his unshaven jaw " look honey"

She hissed "**don't** call me that!" he winced, strike one…so he tried a different approach "**AME SOHMA**!" he thundered which left her wide eyed and holding her bag in front of her to possibly protect herself from his forth coming assault, he felt horrible " I don't mean to do this to you Ame but listen to me…your mother and I, its true we don't always get along…she turned her head and muttered " you scream at each other every night."

He sighed again, strike two… "I'm sorry, I know it's hard on you….being one of the zodiac and…having your grandfather." He stopped and then slowly raised one hand to his mouth as Ame's face turned an ugly shade of purple in her rage "don't…you **EVER** say anything bad about grandpa!" she howled at him and turned on her heel and ran to the door " I hate you! I hate this family! Leave me alone!" and with that the door slammed and she ran off into the night.

Daisuke shook his head and then started to blubber…he wasn't a good father to that child at all…and it was true she had it hard, to be a member of the zodiac was hard enough for some, but to have him and her mother as parents as well…not to mention, he turned and walked toward the phone to call someone, her grandfather had been the cat.

Ame ran through the streets she didn't know hoping that someone would or wouldn't find her…she didn't care she wiped her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks, just as long as her family never found her again she would be happy.

She spotted a lighted area and ran under it, she didn't like the dark too mistrusting…she looked cloudy sky blotting out the stars and leaned against the light post and slid her way down…she was alone again.

As she wiped away a fresh wave of tears a voice broke into her nightmare filled life and she looked up suddenly hoping it wasn't part of her family but was slightly surprised when she met the worried eyes of Ginta, her classmate.

She slowly hid her face and got up very clumsy like, "G-ginta! What are you doing here?" she choked on her words as he let an un easy smile come to his face " I live down the street…but Ame, what are YOU doing here? Shouldn't you be home?"

Ame looked at him and for once let out a thankful smile " no, I got kicked out, its ok though…someone will find me and drag me back eventually right?" she tried to stop crying but it was inevitable…she hated this, and what's worse, her classmate would see her like this. Then something happened…she didn't even remember seeing him move, but with one swift movement he threw his arms around her and gave her a huge hug.

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth "NO!" she shrieked and then vanished into a puff of smoke, Ginta blinked as her cloths slipped though his fingers and dropped to the ground "what just happened?" he mumbled and then saw something rustle inside Ame's shirt knelt down and looked closer; for there wriggling among the folds of cloth and gasping for air was a tiny little green sea horse.


	3. Ch3: Memmories

Ch.3

Memories

Ginta had to blink a few times to figure out what had just happened, it was all so, strange to him…first the girl he loved was there in his arms for the first time and then…poof she was a seahorse…

He shook his head trying to clear it of the stupid thought until a tiny voice squeaked up from the writhing sea creature in Ame's cloths….squeaked up at him in Ame's voice "W-waaaaater!"

He groaned "oh dear god…" if this was some sort of dream he hoped he would wake up, and fast! But in the mean time…he ran as fast as he could

And snatching up the Ame seahorse that was wriggling in her cloths threw her in to the first thing that he saw, the swimming pool of the apartment complex next to them.

Ame breathed, she could barely breathe in this stuff…she opened her tiny blue grey eyes and found herself in water…she could practically taste the chlorine and sweat in the water, but even with that at least she wouldn't die, she wondered how she got here and moved her tiny tail making her way around the large body of water which could only be a pool of some sort.

She looked up and saw a frightening dark shape above the water and suddenly remembered everything…bubbles sprayed from her little mouth "NO!" she curled up as tight as she could " if I change back…he'll see, he'll know…"

Ginta watched the little seahorse move around in the water and sighed, flopping down at the edge and wiping his brow, his black curls now wet with sweat, anxiety perhaps…he was glad the little thing was alright…but the fact that it was…he shook his head " it doesn't happen Ginta…your dreamin"

He sighed and looked down again and then blinked…it was gone!

Ame swam as fast as she could to the deepest part of the pool, she had a good lung full of oxygen and she felt it coming…it didn't take as much time this time…" god DAMNIT!" she cursed as the change pulsed through her changing her back to her original self. She opened her eyes and was suddenly chilled, naked down underwater…suspended at the bottom like a beautiful ivory statue, she looked up and let a small stream of bubbles escape from her lips in sorrow as she saw Ginta looking at her…in horror.

She swam to the other side and covering her chest with her hands she surfaced her head and shoulders, her eyes wet not only from the water "G-Ginta…I." she cursed herself inside, she thought herself so strong but in reality she was as weak as anyone…He still stared but seeing her naked and crying in the water kept him from bolting at the moment " A…what the hell are you Ame?" his voice was barely audible but she could hear every syllable, it beat her black and blue inside…she had to…she hated doing it but…

She looked up and suddenly got out of the water and not even caring that she was completely nude in the presence of a boy who was practically concreted to the spot as she walked to him and placed her dripping right hand over his eyes softly " I…im so sorry you had to see this Ginta…I'm sorry, I have no choice, I cant have you telling…not anyone " his eyes widened and his mouth opened but as he did she closed her eyes and then it was done…the magic, the separate curse that was only gifted to the Dragon of the Zodiac had erased the memory of the entire incident…She choked as she caught the boys now unconscious form and picking him up rather easily considering her position and making sure no one was around padded over to the garden she had found herself in when she had ran. She laid him down, kneeling there and brushing back his hair before turning around, finding and pulling on her cloths clutching her arms together shivering and wet, scared as if afraid to loose herself.

When, she didn't know…the pounding of her heart in her ears must have been loud, because she didn't even realize that a car had rolled up to the curb…or that someone had come out until the man had knelt in front of her and took her chin between the index finger and his thumb forcing her to snap into reality and look into the dark but concerned eyes of Kusanagi Sohma.

She wiped her eyes and tried to shy away from him but her heart desperately wanted to do the opposite and take his kindness and just hug him as tight as she could but instead she was surprised as he hugged her warmly, stroking her short wet hair back "its ok" he said, his red hair curtaining his face "you did what you had to, your fine but…its time to come home"

She looked up at him and then without a word got up and gathered what shreds of pride she had left and left them with the unconscious figure of the boy who she could never love…

Murmuring something with numb lips she left the boy there to be found minutes later by the lady who lived there and again without saying a word got in the passenger seat of Kusanagi's black Jeta and as they drove off it started to rain.

She woke up then, she didn't remember how long it had been since she had fallen asleep, or how she got there in the first place…she opened her eyes slowly and rubbing then looked around and suddenly realized that she wasn't in her room…or even in her house. She sat bolt up and then all the memories of the previous night washed over her in a new wave of grief soon followed by a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and a new wound on her head when she fell face down on the floor as Kusanagi came into the room dressed in his pajamas.

"**WHAT THE HELL**?" she spazed out for a bit and Kusanagi just stared at her till she stopped and then he coughed and mussed his hair a little "time to go little girl, I can only hide you for so long AND…you took up my bed…so out.

She needed no further instructions at the sound of "my bed" and fairly leaped out of the thing at the thought which brought a smile to his wicked face.

"You really should thank me you know" he sighed as he watched and checked to make sure she was still wearing all the things she remembered she had the night before… "Ame…" he said quite sternly as if reading her thoughts "I wouldn't do anything to you…ever ok?" she shot a look at him "and how do _I_ know that?"

He sighed again and motioned to the door " by the way…you father wanted you to come home but I thought it was best I told him that I have a 'talk' with you…I let you sleep in my bed all day kid but now you have to go home, if you want ill phone Amou..."

He said this with a bit of bitterness, not much but enough to make Ame a little curious.

" no…" she mumbled and shook off the rest of the previous nights weariness " ill get home ok…thank you...Kusanagi.

He at first thought he was hearing things but after she rushed out the door he was sure he had heard her say that with a slight apologetic note….he smiled a little and sat down on his bed still warm from her having slept there so long "my how people can change over time…" he looked up and out the window where he watched her run down the street until she was out of sight and his smile melted away "poor girl, if only she knew."

Note: so sorry this ch is smaller than the rest, school n all that has really been bugging me lately, and I haven't gotten too many readers on this…why is this? I don't know. Geez guys I work hard for you and you don't read OR comment? Goodness

Makes me wanna sic Mizuki on you XD

Anyway please enjoy!


	4. Ch4: Desperation

Ch.4

Desperation

Ame ran home, her heart still heavy from the previous night and unfortunately getting heavier as the main house loomed before her and in it, her home. She stopped and took her time to regain her breath and then with her heart set she removed her shoes and slid through the shadows of the house until she was sure no one was around and ruffling her hair in her worry slid silently within a small room filled with files…the records of her family history…some of the best kept secrets were inside these files… " perhaps " she thought as she set her shoes down on the ground and crossed her arms against the chill of the overly air conditioned room " I can find something, some clue as to how to break the curse if I study enough…"

She looked around hurriedly, the darkness scaring her quite a bit, but necessary for what she was doing…if she was found here…she winced "flogged or…worse" she murmured and started hurriedly skimming all the files that caught her eye.

As she looked and read over the place had fallen eerily silent, perhaps everyone had gone to bed early or something but silence always made her just a tad uncomfortable…especially when your sneaking around.

She wiped some cold sweat from her brow and shivered as her hairs stood on end. " no good" she hissed a curse and then turning around saw something that caused her to drop to the floor, the breath stolen from her lungs hoping that she hadn't seen what she thought, something tall and dark moving a little at the very back of the room…a lazy blur of black.

Ame barely dared to breath any to revive herself from her fear trying to calm herself down "that" she whispered "was just…a cat or something, just your imagination stupid dragon…you have a mission, keep on lookin!" she turned and looking up on the top shelf of files she saw something labeled 'curse files'

She arched one brow "that's way too easy…but hard to reach damn them…"

She reached up, her fingers already numb and shaking frantically hoping that this file would give her the answers she needed to help her and her friends

"Please…"

Time seemed to slow down, you know how when you make a mistake and the minute you do it you know you made a bad choice but you cant take it back?

That slowness crept up on her, clad in black and wearing a cold predatory sneer,

One long arm reaching up and grabbing the file from above her and the other wrapping around her waist so tightly it knocked the air she had managed to breath out of her.

She gasped as the persons hot hand slid down her cold skin, her eyes wide and frightened "w-who…" Then she knew…the feel, the smell of him, the feeling when he was around…she could already see who it was without looking…she gulped and even tried to be brave but she knew she was shaking

"Mizuki…Kun" As she said it she was twirled around to find his liquid gold eyes boring into her, holding her in place as a snake held its prey, meanwhile shoving the file in her face " just what…were you trying to do with _THIS_?" he hissed, his voice slow and dark like tainted honey.

She opened her mouth but no words came out, she was so scared…she never wanted to know what this man could do to her unrestrained…she was alone…in this house with HIM. She shook violently and tried to cover her face as he dropped the file on the floor and let the hand fall on her, "you bitch! I didn't give you permission to be in here! Snooping around like the thief you are!"

She growled and was able to block most of his blows before he slipped to the ground and tripped her to the ground, catching her wrists as she fell and pinning her to the ground.

Her face was pale, not able to break free of his grip but having thoughts slug through her mind as she looked up at him, his sharp features, his golden eyes, the black oily hair spilling down over his shoulders…everything about him was possessive…and she was in trouble.

It was as he lowered himself to her, his cruel lips tracing a line of pain down her

throat that she found her voice "what…the…HELL?" she thundered, all her pent up madness coming out at once, heightened at once with her fear.

Mizuki just sneered and dug his knee cap into her side making her gasp in pain as one of her ribs popped with the strain " you are mine" he cooed " you cant be allowed in here and not have to pay a price cara mia…you will obey ME!"

His eyes were wild now, his hands on the collar of her shirt, obviously toying with the idea of ripping it off.

"This is absurd " she whispered causing him to look down on her again, she had turned her head, little rivulets of blood from where he had bit her neck dripping and staining her shirt, madness now reflected in her own blue grey eyes…and sorrow " you poor lustful fool…to even think for a minute…that I should obey you is…" he snarled and ripped her shirt open " don't speak!" she looked up, bringing her right kneecap into his happy place she was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath and a wail of pain.

She rolled him off her and stood up slamming her right foot on his chest causing him to hiss, her eyes now blazing "its just STUPID!" she started crying then, knowing that when he got back up she wouldn't be able to stop him from killing her right then…her eyes flew to the floor and she swooped and snatched up the file and with that she ran, she ran as fast as she could but not before he was running after her "you bitch, you little cat! Ill catch you, you'll pay!"

She dodged out to the garden and heard his sandaled feet right behind her

Now it was pitch black outside and only the little lamps around the estate and her memory of the landscape kept her from slipping, she heard cars, other people she needed to get to that gate…other wise she would be a goner…she turned and saw Mizuki's black form speeding after her, only a few feet or so and he would have her…she clutched the file to her chest, the air cold against her skin now bare from her ripped shirt.

She was so tired now, running, running, the gate seemed like it was farther away than when she had started, the night air now stinging her skin as she clutched desperately at the evidence she needed, the information to figure out how to break the Zodiac curse…she was so close.

The gate surrounding the area around here was a wooden fence with barbed wire at the top…she looked at it and then looked back to the shadow still haunting her… " I " she whispered, her strong eyes drooping a bit " must…find it " and without warning she bit down on the file, holding it between her teeth and with the last of her strength climbed and leaped over the top, tearing several large gashes on her arms and legs.

She fell to the hard ground below and forced her body to still move, she now couldn't see even a foot in front of her but that was fine…she didn't need to, he couldn't get her here…she still needed to get somewhere, anywhere.

She felt the rush of air on her flushed face, the drip of blood from her neck staining the tatters of her shirt and her bra…the folder in her arms.

She took a step and then four more and heard something…the honking of a car, and as she turned around she had no time to react or even think as the car loomed before her, the driver panicking and swerving on to the side walk as with a sickening thud, the girl who had wandered into the middle of the street was thrown over the hood of his car and over, dropping her on to the gravely ground, the bloody file still clutched tight in her frail hands.

Will Ame survive in order to find the cure for the Zodiac curse or will she end up too broken to be fixed?

Next Ch. Will be coming soon!


	5. Ch5: Healing Truths

Ch.5

Healing Truths

There was a beeping sound…lots of feet and lots of hushed whispers and painful things…her body felt like lead…it still did really, she sighed " I think there is something over my eyes for I cant see a thing…" it was only then that the beeping returned to a steady hum, another prick, she felt something reminiscent to pain now, but it was warmer…she smelled something now, it was that hospital smell, how she hated hospitals…but this meant something…a tear slipped down her cheek from under the bandages around her head and face "I'm alive…" her voice sounded strange and broken to her, no telling how long she had been here…last she remembered she had been running in the cold, her cloths were ruined…the file" she gasped and tried to sit upright only to discover that it caused her an excruciating amount of pain to do so, she let out a yelp and choking she flopped back down, her arms were leaden and wrapped…and broken with all her luck.

She heard someone then, the sound of footsteps and the rolling sound of a metal stool chair across the floor and then a sigh as the person sat beside her bed…a warm hand touched her forehead and with a very gentle touch unwrapped the bit around her eyes…she opened them and found a very distraught looking Amou, bags under his amethyst eyes and clad in blue pajama's and his long lab coat…

She looked up at him; one side of her face, right above her right eye had been cut by a piece of glass when she was hit…now that she thought about it she could feel the swelling against some stitches…**OW**.

Neither said anything for a minute and then to her surprise Amou took up her left arm and bringing her sleeve to his face started crying in a small voice "_My god Ame!_ Do you know how scared I was that you wouldn't wake up?...I was so scared, you were nearly dead when I got here…if Mizuho and Ayumi hadn't found you, called me and brought you to this place…you would have died Ame…do you understand…?"

His hair spilled in front of his face and salty tears dripped down his pale cheeks.

Her own eyes filled with tears as she turned from him not able to stand the look of him crying and instead stared at the ceiling, her tears wetting the pillow and the bandages around her throat and chest "Amou…" her voice again was barely her own but it was enough to make him look up "how long have I been here…?"

He looked at her and then taking a deep though shaky breath coughed "you've been here for a week Ame…unconscious for a whole week…" She took as deep a breath as she could with four broken ribs and then turned her head and smiled kindly, painfully "and you've been here all this time…Amou…thank you…" He choked but she didn't hear it "Amou…the file…where is it?"

He started to speak but was interrupted as the green hospital curtain was pulled violently aside letting in a very beautiful punker looking woman, her hair white on the top as if bleached and black and hanging long down her back, more than a few piercings in her ears and one on her lip, dressed in a black leather strapless top and a pair of faded jeans she stomped in and stood at the edge of the bed with her arms crossed. "Well good morning to you too squirt! She smiled slightly "how are you feelin?" Ame was thrown for a loop, and possibly two.

"M-mizuho!" her Karate teacher, she suddenly remembered that Amou had said she had found her along with "I hope you are feeling well Ame Sohma…"

She turned her head a little painfully feeling the effect of whatever drug they had done her up with fading as she looked upon the other that had slipped in behind Mizuho "Oh, Ayumi!" Wow…the zodiac sisters Mizuho and Ayumi had found her, they lived apart from the main house and were the only ones really allowed to do so, and they had saved her.

Amou smiled and rubbed his eyes "the monkey couldn't do anything but the ox and sheep found a way to" he covered his face to cry again but was immediately spited by the flat of Mizuho's hand to Ame's surprise Mizuho growled at him "you big idiot! I think all those drugs have gone to your head as well as your little crush there!" Both of them turned red as tomatoes "don't make this harder on her than it already is! I care about my little cousin that's why I helped her…who wouldn't care…even Sala came from school to see you"

Mizuho glanced over at her sister and Ayumi sighed and rummaging in some papers in her arms she brought forth a very beaten and bloodied up file "And…I believe you wanted this…" Mizuho took it and walking over to her bead side she gave her the file, Ame looked at it and gingerly moving both her arms with Amou's help she picked up the file and held it to her bandaged chest as tight as she could making some stitches pop with strain, she took the pain…she had done it…

She looked at the file again and then back up, Amou laid his head on her bedside and she looked behind Mizuho at Ayumi who stared at her, her soft green dress and golden hair tied in a curt bun behind her, eyes soft peach " What…happened to Mizuki?" the name felt like oil in her mouth, dirty and poisoning.

Mizuho sat down and Ayumi sighed deeply "we don't know all what happened but he wouldn't calm down…we tried everything and even Namaki and his child came to calm him down…" Ame coughed "the Rooster and the snake? Geez…" Ayumi nodded and continued " we sent them away…but in the end he had to be taken care of…we called the police…" she hugged her arms tight to the papers in her arms " we have all gone against the house…but we still wont be free of our curse."

Ame smiled slightly "hey…its ok…" her little voice reached the woman as she clutched the file to her "I'm going to break it now…and we will all be free and normal." She felt sleep coming on again due to the drug…Amou was gone…Ayumi smiling and Mizuho looking as emotionally tired as she…

"Have a rest "someone said, someone with red hair "we'll talk in the morning."

Badger notes

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!

I don't have too much time to write anymore so the chapters will be slightly smaller than normal but I suppose if I cram as much stuff in it as I can it works ne? Beams

Review and ill be sure to write faster! Love goes to my readers!

Happy holidays

Badger Nin


	6. Ch6: Goodbyes and Promises

Ch.6

Goodbyes and Promises

Ame woke with a splitting headache but besides that everything felt as if it was working properly. She sat up slowly and let out a long breath, raising a hand to test the pain in her head "Ow damnit…" with her one good eye she looked around the dawn lit hospital room, its pinks and greens making her feel a little brighter about being bashed and bruised up, she was starting to drift into a habit of looking for patterns in the wallpaper when a voice from her left nearly sent her cowering under her covers in fright. " Good morning Ame Sohma…are you feeling better enough to daydream now without even saying good morning?" Kusanagi Sohma smiled as he usually did, though as she focused on him and rubbed her eyes of the sleepy sand she noticed that in his eyes she found emotion for one of the first times in her life since his mother had passed away, she found herself smiling back "I'm sorry" she said rather softly for her taste "Good morning Kusanagi." He suddenly and unexpectedly started laughing enough to toss him off the doctors chair he was perched upon "geez, I didn't know you had a brain injury too, I have never heard you say anything nice to me" She gave him a sour look and he grinned wider, resting his head in one hand and the other on his left knee "you know what I mean, anyway…how ARE you feeling Ame?"

Ame sighed and swiveling herself around she was able to throw her legs over the side of the bed and sit up facing him " fine, at least better than I was yesterday…" her blue grey eyes fell upon the pillow which covered the file she had ran out to protect " I'm glad then" he said running a hand through his red hair as if he was as tired as she " I've been having to deal with all of the legal matters concerning the house, trying to cover up our secret of course while Mizuki" Ame flinched, he sighed " is in custody." Ame blinked "Still in his Business suit Kusanagi looked good, wait let me rephrase that, a stressed out Kusanagi looked a lot nicer in more ways than one, than the normal Kusanagi" Ame looked up at him knowing full well even though he was joking with her that he was very tired from what she had done as well as Mizuki "so what is happening? What is going to happen to me Kusanagi Kun?"

Kusanagi sighed, smoothing back his hair again, his old nervous habit " I really cant tell you Ame, cause I just don't know…" he looked at her, his eyes soft, a strange tingle went up her spine. She looked down and pretended to survey the many bandages that wrapped her arms "I see…thank you then."

Kusanagi clasped his hands together "Ame…do you really think what is in that folder is going to change us back to normal?" Ame looked up and then glancing down found that the folder was poking out from underneath her pillow and then smiling a little turned her head, her short brown hair shining bright blond highlights in the sun that came through her small hospital window " yes…I hope with all my heart that it will…"

Kusanagi blinked and then rolling his chair a bit more forward looked her straight in the eyes and murmured softly in her ear " I promise…nothing will happen to you Ame, nothing."

Ame blinked, his face…was WAY to close to hers…what the…

She was freakin out now, his long red hair, his eyes his…lips.

She wanted to smack him, or at least herself! What was she THINKING?

Kusanagi grinned slowly as Ame's face turned a bright shade of pink, he patted her on the head "what? There something on my face?"

Ame shook her head now free from his eyes "why youuuuuu!"

Outside her respected hospital room the nurses could have sworn that her yelling had shaken the whole building.

Around an hour later a knock was heard on her door…she opened one eye, Amou had seen her today already, so had Kusanagi…and Sala had come from school as well as Toboe and his dad Namaki, each to see her and hope that she was ok…it was nice…she wondered who else was coming to call.

The knock sounded again and then a deep voice whispered through her door.

"A-ame...are you awake?" Her other eye snapped open…she knew that voice, her head turned and with some hesitation she replied "yes…I am, dad"

Daisuke Sohma opened the door and making his footfalls as quiet as possible made it to her beside visitors chair and sat heavily, wringing his hands much like Kusanagi had done before " Ame…um I had no idea"

She looked to the side "you wouldn't "

He sighed, your friend brought me here, and he said I should talk to you.

She slowly looked at him "which friend?" Daisuke sat up, much more presentable looking than he usually was, his face was clean shaven, his hair was combed and he didn't smell like cigarettes as much, he must have cleaned up just to see her. He was lost in thought for a minute, but for once Ame was patient with him, "Ah! I remember…that poor kid, his name's Hitomi…and he was so scared to see you all broken up like you are he wouldn't even come out of his house." Her eyes softened to the point of tearing "oh.." she murmured, her dad looked up at her and for once his little girl looked as a grown woman with a heartache…and it broke his own to see it, her face was flushed with worry now.

"He told me to tell you to get better soon, that he loves you, and that he was…sorry and something else too." He fell silent for a minute… She put her hands slowly to her forehead and sighed "he's leaving isn't he?"

Daisuke smiled sadly "yes, he said he was going to help you find a place where you could be free." He heard a sound then, a light strange sound, as if wind chimes and water had been mixed…Ame was laughing.

Badger Notes

Yes I KNOW I've not put out a chapter for some time!

(twitchy twitchy) But NO ones reading my stories anymore! (Cries)

Anyhow I hope you like it as I'm tying this all together…now who will she end up with? Damn id love to be in her shoes…wouldn't YOU?

LOL

Anywho for those of you who ARE reading

Ttyl


	7. Ch7: The Zodiac Curse

Ch.7

The Zodiac Curse

Ame was later allowed to walk around the hospital guided by either one of the members of her family or a special nurse, she was healing nicely she was told by the plump little ladies in white who came and went with her feeding schedules. Somehow before she had noticed it spring had sprung, today she had walked to a sunny window and looked out, today Amou and Kusanagi had to work, Namaki had left his son at home and stood beside her, he even in his forties was a very homely attractive man. Ame was enjoying the warmth of the sun against her pale skin, the sweet wind that tousled her hair, one hand rested against a crutch and the other held tight a manila folder to her chest, the secrets.

Ame had been wondering about how easy it had been to find this folder, if it had all been for nothing she would be doomed, everyone she knew was depending upon her…the history of this folder is that it had been passed down to her generation and then taken by the head for fear of change. It meant that someone beside her, generations ago had wanted to someone to fulfill the wish of every one of the zodiac members…the end of the banquet, the end of the circle of ages, the end of possession…the end of the Zodiac Curse. "-me" A voice broke in to her thoughts and she looked up "Ame" she blinked "huh?" Namaki smiled kindly "it's almost time for lunch, are you up for going out for once?" for a while since she had been recovering a spark came back into her eyes…" yes, I would love to…and by the way…" she clenched the folder in her hands tighter " would you mind inviting everyone?"

Namaki wasn't a genius and it really didn't take one to figure out what she had planed, the dragon, no, a young girl with the power to change all of their fates forever…the rooster in him was wary. She looked at him and he nodded "just as long as they pay for themselves! I would hate to see what Ichi could do to my bill!"

Ame chuckled a bit; Ichi was the youngest of the Zodiac and was cursed by the dog. However even for a young kid she was rather chubby and ate almost constantly. "I'm quite sure that Toboe would like some company, no?" Namaki nodded and helped her into a wheelchair that the doctors had supplied her with for outside occasions, "yes I'm sure he would like to see Ichi, they are best friends after all."

Ame left Namaki to the matters of calling everyone from every inch of the Sohma estate to join them for lunch, he didn't have to explain, they already knew, even Mizuki knew it.

He had called the main house and screamed bloody murder at them, saying they were doomed, that they would never be free now that he was locked up.

Everyone was too preoccupied to bother with the head, they felt for him but as usual it was only the strings that bound them, and they resisted him. They wanted to know.

From all accounts what Ame held with her had been foreseen by seers, had been tested by doctors and had been sought for generations. They believed in her, they believed that their children and their children after them would never have to go through this.

Hours later she sat in her hospital room again and Mizuho resplendent in a long black dress was going through her wardrobe and trying to find something suitable to wear for the occasion. Ame was nervous, she was a nervous as she had been in a long time, but something else lurked in the recesses of her heart, for the past moths she had been here there had been two people who had constantly been there for her, she had never thought…that she would feel for either of them. She thought of Amou's smile and she thought of Kusanagi's touch. Selfish thoughts, she decided and pushed them out of her mind. Mizuho crowed, alarming Ame out of her daydream and she looked up, her brown hair now longer fell to her shoulders, her grey eyes opened wide " wha-what did you find Mizuho?" The woman turned and combed her black and white hair out of her eyes and raised a white silk kimono dripping in pearls, Ame's eyes boggled "you don't actually expect me to-!" Mizuho fixed a very stern eye upon her and Ame remembered her black side " eh…ok fine…just this once!" she sighed and sat up enough to get her bandaged body off the bed " you'll have to help me dress…"

The restaurant was owned by Hitomi's dad Ten Sohma, he was an old man but thankfully he favored his younger son to Mizuki. He shuffled out and opened the sliding paper door to the large room he had set up personally for almost the entire family, a long table was set out and twelve seats were present, his eyes opened slightly and he smiled causing the intricate wrinkles in his face to crinkle with his happiness. Everyone looked at him, everyone but one had assembled. Down the table they looked at Ten, Amou fidgeted with his hair, Kusanagi sat straight up and cast firm order on the bunch of children next to him which consisted of Gigi, Toboe and Ichi where as Mizuho sitting on the other side of them laughed a bit at him.

Across from them on the other side of the table, Mizuho's sister Motoko sat calm and pristine, Sala sat at her left, dressed in a nice frilly blue dress embroidered with blue lace flowers. Next to her Kakyo was patting a rather worried looking Hitomi who had been brought back from the outskirts of who knows where after he had ran away, Namaki sat next to Hitomi and looked up at Ten…all were assembled save Ame.

Ten bowed his grey head and then with a flick of his wrist he opened the door fully to reveal Ame standing before them, all at once everyone was silent and awestruck, even the children uttered not a peep. Ame Sohma stood holding the manila envelope to her, her hair had been done back in a bun, a few fair wisps curled around her face, her lips were painted a blushing pink and her eyes were half cast, her kimono sparkled in the dim light and was tied with a light blue ribbon. She stood like that a minute and then nodding her head to Ten she took her seat at the head of the table and looked upon her family, those cursed by the zodiac were all present, she smiled then softly and held forth the folder and spoke " at great risk I took this folder, because of my own wishes I wished to be the one to break the curse we all know too well" she paused " by my selfishness I nearly died and people were hurt, I want to end this suffering, we all understand this…in this folder is supposed to be the secret to breaking the Zodiac Curse…who will open it?"

She cast her eyes around the room and no one spoke, only pointed, they pointed at her.

Ame tried to keep her face a solid expression though tears ran freely down her cheeks "I-I…I've put all of you in danger." Her hands quivered but someone reached across the table and held her hand, she looked up and into the eyes of Amou, another hand took her other, she looked and found Kusanagi at her side as well…" we know that you can do it Ame…no matter what's in that folder you are special, you did something that none of us could do…you stood up to Mizuki and stole that…you did it for us, its not selfish at all, you're a very brave girl." Kusanagi smiled as well and nodded "for once I agree with the fur ball…you have the heart of a dragon my little sea horse…now do what your ancestors wanted you to…open it."

This was amazing, before she had thought of herself only as a rebel, the clumsy one who wouldn't give in to Mizuki…she had never thought she would become such a figure in her family, the dragon who erased memories had somehow made them. She looked down at the worn old envelope and swallowing the dragon within her she carefully unclasped the seal around it, quailing a bit under her family's stares but reassured by the two hands on her shoulders, of the two men she loved dearly.

She slipped a hand within the thing and felt around for the huge packet that contained the secret and suddenly when her fingertips touched something finally she sat silent, her eyes worried…everyone held their breath as with a confused look she brought forth a tiny slip of paper that had been folded dozens of times, the edges yellow with age.

Amou tightened his grip on her shoulder, he knew he loved her, he didn't care what happened here, he wanted her to be free, he wanted to be free…he didn't know it but his thoughts resounded in the minds of everyone there.

Kusanagi, his red hair covering his face served as a veil for his emotions, he did have feelings for Ame, and strong ones…he had known her since she was little as she had known him. He wanted her to be free, he wanted to be free.

Everyone could hear their own heartbeats.

A small voice spoke then, making Ame look to the blonde a few seats from her, Sala Sohma. She wrung her hands and then smiled softly, a smile not fit for someone her age

But from one with a mature heart. "We can live through this Ame…it doesn't matter what's on that paper. Your like a sister to me and certainly to everyone here…well almost" she cast her eyes upon the two at Ame's side and had the immense satisfaction of seeing both of them blush.

Ame nodded and with the tears still spilling down her cheeks she carefully opened up the piece of paper and with a hesitant smile turned down her head and looked at it.

As minutes went by a smile donned on her lips and then her shoulders shuddered, Amou looked at her anxiously and Kusanagi grimaced half expecting the worst.

Ame started reading slightly amazed.

"To the Sohma it may concern.

For centuries we have searched and wondered about the zodiac curse, the curse that every hundred years plagues twelve proud members of the Sohma family, our greatest secret. For generations we have tried to find the cure for this, to us and the head of the family who suffers most, to let the animals finally end the banquet. And we have succeeded"

She stopped reading and some water was forced into her tight lips by Amou, quite worried now but anxious for her to keep on reading.

She hurriedly gulped it down, choking a little and continued reading "we have succeeded, to all our knowledge only someone from the outside who knows the secret and trusts all twelve of the zodiac members will be born, she will be the sister of all but not a Sohma and she will have the heart…" a tear dropped upon the page, everyone looked up and found to their amazement she was laughing "that-that she will have a pure heart and spirit…of a dragon." Everyone was quiet, wondering…She read on "She will break the chains of our curse link by link and finally, finally we will be free. So it is written in the stars and so it is prophesized one day this girl will break the Zodiac Curse.

Endure…for your children will be the bearers of their children and they will forever be free."

Signed: Miamoto Ryugi Sohma. The Cat."

Hitomi looked up, his eyes a bit unfocused "Miamoto Sohma…the first cat in history…the one who never made it to the banquet.

Sala looked rather sheepish and Hitomi looked over at her and smiled "it is not your fault" he assured her, then looking back at Ame he smiled "my ancestor was the cat…his name was Miamoto Sohma and shared the fate of every cat including your grandfather Ame…"

She looked at him "then this is true…but" she clenched the paper tightly "I cant do anything…I'm not the chosen one then…I can't help you."

She choked back her tears but then a hand snaked out and catching her chin turned her face around and Kusanagi sat forward and kissed her firmly on the lips, immediately stopping her from crying and causing everyone in the room to stare.

She blanked out for the longest moment she had ever thought up and after he released her kind of fell into Amou who was so flustered he held her a little too tightly " wh-wha?"

She sniffled a bit and looked amazed at the red haired man who was wiping his lips with the sardonic smile he always wore before her "it made you stop crying right? Now listen…you did more than anyone here ever could, you stopped Mizuki and you risked yourself to get this for us…it would have been lost in history Ame, and we never would have known. You are a wonderful girl now a woman…and everyone here know it."

He turned and looked at the others, then amidst the silence little Toboe the snake with wide eyes began to clap his hands, causing the children to mimic him and then causing all eleven of the others to burst into applauds, cheering for her.

Amou smiled at her and standing her up and setting the piece of paper on the long table brought her to the only window in the room and pulling aside the fine curtain set a warm hand upon her shoulder and laughed "look Ame…it is time for change now, we have to do our best for those who come after us…and look, you already have, look Ame….its raining."

That night they had a banquet like none other before and none other afterwards, a feast of food and emotions, they knew that through waiting they were all people down to the littlest child, they were people who would change the world.

THE END.

Epilogue:

Ame, now a woman came out of her room and nearly ran into Amou as she was walking to find some breakfast, Amou steadied her, and both were now quite a bit older and wiser for that much. Ame had become an artist and a rather famous one at that and Amou had become a known doctor. In the End Kusanagi had married Mizuho after much coaxing on her part, Amou had asked for her hand…

They were to hold on to the family they were born into.

Ame was the mother of a male child, cursed with none other than the cat; she was possibly the first mother in history to refuse to shun him.

Named Saito Sohma the cat in his generation was locked away by the cruel new head of the house, He too married and fathered children, those children had children…and Kazuma Sohma was born…the first in his generation, after much waiting…the girl who had been prophesized was now forgotten but because she was forgotten…didn't mean…she would not come.

Tohru Honda, May you do what you were born to.

We believe in you.

Badger notes:

DAMN that last chapter was a hard one to pull through, I'm dreadfully sorry for the wait but HERE it is! All packaged pretty for you, I admit that was a strange way to end my story but you get it right…right?

Anyway I hope you all enjoyed my story!

Don't forget to review!

Badger Nin


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